(Akiit.com) Ignorance is bliss they say. It truly is at times. Not knowing something, or even better, not needing to know something can be a luxury. As the world is changing at an increased pace, one might want to utter those words spoken by the character Cypher in the Matrix (1999): “plug me back in.” But ignoring something does not mean it’s not happening, it just means you are choosing to be ignorant of it. Here some new truths we must live with that wouldn’t have been a thing in the past.
Falling ill, in most cases, lands on your shoulders. When you grow up, it might seem that your parents or grandparents always magically made things better, and they sure did. When you grow up, that might not still be the case. So, when you fall ill, it’s your responsibility to pick up the pieces. That might mean you need to 
sort of your medical insurance or at least have a fall-back plan just in case that happens. Don’t get caught out, get insured or at least get informed how to get insured. You never know what will happen tomorrow. Also, consider it’s not only any medical cost but also any lost income for the time you are not working. Make sure you have some form of a nest egg or perhaps income insurance as a fall-back.
It seems that not a week goes by and there is another shooting. Would you know what to do in those situations? Does your organization know what to do? John Cutter Investigations advises to use the Run, Hide or Fight mantra. Try to get away from the situation if you can i.e. run. The quicker you and your fellow victims get yourself clear from the situation, the better it is. If running is not an option, try to hide. Try to lock the room that you are in and barricade yourself. But be aware that remaining completely hidden might not give you the best vantage point of understanding when to fight. Fight only as a last resort, but you need to be ready for it when the time comes. Of course, nobody wants to think of being in a live shooter scenario but having the right training and mindset will at least focus you to increase your chances of survival.
Redundancy might not be on your mind, especially if the business you work for is doing well, but can you always really tell? It only takes a simple corporate consolidation until a department is asked to cease operations. And in those situations, regardless of how good it was to work there, the business will have almost no obligations to you. It doesn’t matter if you just bought a house or have a new baby underway, your ex-employer will shutter the business, and its priority will be debtors rather than ex-employees.
Again, income insurance will come as a life-saver, but longer term you should ensure your skill set is up-to-date. You can do this by keeping abreast of what’s happening in your industry and making sure your skill set matches that. Redundancy might not be something you can avoid altogether, but you can tool yourself on the off-chance it might happen.
As with most things, preparation is the best antidote.
Staff Writer; Ron Jones